Bed sheet assembly

ABSTRACT

The invention is of an improved mattress assembly and method for applying sheets to a bed mattress, involving partially attached top and bottom sheets for facilitating simulation installation of the two during sheet installation.

CITATION TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 16/219,155 and entitled “BED SHEET ASSEMBLY” and filed on or about Dec. 13, 2018, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/598,606 and entitled “BED SHEET ASSEMBLY” and filed Dec. 14, 2017.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bedding, and more particularly to bed sheets and mattress coverings.

2. Background Information

Changing out bedsheets is both a necessity with hygienic, aesthetic and comfort-related bases, as well as a considerable inconvenience.

Depending on the context, the current difficulties in fitting sheets to a mattress can range from an occasional, mild inconvenience, to a significant economic issue.

Mild inconvenience would come in the context of a household with bed(s) that are readily accessible, the sheets of which are changed, perhaps, weekly. The significant economic impact would come, for example, in the hospitality industry where housekeepers are often allocated rigid time allotments per room for servicing guestrooms. Somewhere in the middle of this continuum would fall intermittent changing of sheets on beds that are not readily accessible, at least with respect to one or more sides of the mattress.

Clearly, sheet sets with fitted bottom sheets have gone a long way in adding convenience to sheet exchanges, but there remains the challenge, in at least some cases, and in all cases the added time associated with situating the non-fitted, separate top sheet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide some means or method by which top and bottom sheets can be applied to mattresses with: (1) feature for facilitating a potential, reduced time requirement for sheet installation (when compared to situating convention fitted bottom and non-fitted top sheet assemblies); and (2) features for facilitating greater ease of sheet installation. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a sheet set assemblage that, without compromising any desirable characteristics of existing sheeting products, would reduce the incident of top sheet “pull-out” while in use

In satisfaction of these and related needs in the related field, the present inventor has invented a novel and unobvious sheet assemblage that includes top and bottom sheets that are attached along respective, juxtaposed, “bottom” margins. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom sheet is a fitted sheet, and the top sheet is attached to the bottom sheet in a manner that placing the bottom sheet in conventional manner simultaneously places and secures the top sheet, thereby eliminating near all separate steps otherwise involved in placing the top sheet, only after the bottom sheet is fitted. Furthermore, once fitted, the top sheet is far less likely to dislodge (as conventional top sheets are prone to do, especially for restless sleepers), because it can only do so were the bottom, fitted sheet to also become dislodged (far less likely and a non-fitted top or bottom sheet).

Finally, limiting attachment to substantially one lower, shared margin of top and bottom sheets in the assembly of the present invention prevents a safety issue that sheets attached in any other manner might present. For example, were top and bottom sheets to be attached along either side margins of the respective sheets, one exiting a so-fitted bed could be entangled in the “pocket” formed by such an assembly, and could experience a catastrophic fall.

In one embodiment, top sheet is pulled down 6 inches, sewing is performed across the bottom and up only 6 inches on each side providing considerable improvements over prior art designs. It is much simpler, and with this design, a perfect hospital corner may be formed at the bottom of each side of the bed.

The sheet assembly of the present inventor's design obviates the addressable shortcomings of convention sheet set designs. In doing so, it affords it users convenience, time savings, cost savings in some contexts, and, if the ultimate users, and more comfortable sleeping experience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is bottom view of a mattress to which an exemplary sheet assembly of the present inventor's design is affixed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary sheet assembly of the present inventor's design is identified generally by the reference number 10. Sheet assembly 10 includes bottom sheet 12 and top sheet 14. Sheet assembly 10 is shown installed on a mattress A, having top and bottom margins B and side margins C.

Bottom sheet 12 and top sheet 14 are shown in contrasting fabric designs for illustrative purposes only—for ease of distinguishing each other in the figure.

Bottom sheet 12 is a “fitted sheet” according to conventional design. Bottom sheet 12 (for fitting to most conventional, rectangular mattresses) will include relatively shorter, end (or “top”/“bottom” margins 18, and relatively longer, side margins 20, all of which (because this is a “fitted” sheet, are elasticized).

Top sheet 14 (likewise for fitting to most conventional, rectangular mattresses) (for fitting to most conventional, rectangular mattresses) will include relatively shorter, end (or “top”/“bottom” margins 22, and relatively longer, side margins 24.

According to the present inventor's design, bottom sheet 12 and top sheet 14 are attached with stitching 16 (shown in exaggerated form for illustrative purposes only) along one each of their respective margins 18 and 22.

Contrary to the depiction of FIG. 1, top sheet 14 would, of course, extend over the top side of mattress A (not shown) for conventional use.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of the invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A bedsheet assembly comprising: a top sheet; a bottom sheet; wherein said top sheet and said bottom sheet are attached to each other at one or more points adjacent to one each of respective short margins of said top sheet and said bottom.
 2. The bedsheet assembly of claim 1 wherein said top sheet and said bottom sheet are attached to each other by stitching.
 3. The bedsheet assembly of claim 2 wherein said stitching is substantially continuous and extends over a length corresponding to substantially the entire length of said short margins of said top sheet and said bottom sheet.
 4. The bedsheet assembly of claim 1 wherein said top sheet and said bottom sheet are attached to each other along a length of stitching that is oriented substantially parallel to respective said short margins of said top sheet and said bottom sheet. 